STOP SMILING presents the weekly mp3 blog, in which we showcase one new release each Tuesday, along with a track from the album +++ This week’s record is Ghana Special: Modern Highlife, Afro-Sounds & Ghanaian Blues, 1968-81 by Various Artists (Soundway Records) +++ Weaving big-band jazz, Caribbean calypso, and traditional West African rhythms, early Ghanaian Highlife resonates the playfulness, joy, and optimism of a nation transitioning from colonial rule to self-reliance and independence; Soundway Records cherry-picked two discs worth of the choicest Highlife gems that capture the golden years of the Blackstar nation’s youthful sound; the two-CD hardback package comes with a meticulously designed 44-page book filled with original photographs and album cover art — a trademark of Soundway’s research and special attention to detail +++ Audio – “You Monopolise Me” by The Ogyatanna Show Band. – Post by Kris Rios